Lady and the Track: A young female enthusiast’s view on BMW cars

BMW sports cars are special to me: when I put my helmet on at the track and get in my 135i, my gender becomes irrelevant

Is there a feeling more liberating than coming out of a hairpin turn at the track in your BMW, rolling onto the throttle, and laying rubber on the hot pavement as the exhaust system wails the song of combustion? For me the answer is no and I am willing to bet those who track their BMWs agree with me. Moreover, I would argue that the experience is particularly special for me as a young female enthusiast.

For the vast majority of women, the first twenty years of our lives are meticulously monitored. We are told what to wear, what to like, and how to be reserved in our actions. Society rarely considers women as those who should push the limits or take chances.

As a result, we are viewed as too delicate to handle the activities that men are encouraged to participate in. Football? Too violent. Legos? Too complicated. Cars? Too dangerous.

This mindset suffocates a young girl’s dreams and aspirations. If someone is repeatedly told they can’t or shouldn’t do something, they will often start to believe it. This, unfortunately, is something every young girl experiences when growing up. They are discouraged from pursuing an unconventional hobby or interest because society, their parents, or their teachers tell them they can’t without even letting them try first.

I am twenty-four years old now and fully immersed in the automotive culture; however, there was a time when society told me to wear pink and play with dolls instead. I am so glad I didn’t listen because if I did, I wouldn’t get to enjoy the love for cars that you readers share with me.

Female car enthusiasts like myself have over come a lot of bias and adversity simply to do what we love. It is this obstacle that makes driving a BMW sports car so special to me: when I put my helmet on at the track and get in my 135i, my gender becomes irrelevant. The TwinPower Turbo charged, inline six will not treat me differently because I am a female.

This feeling of pure liberty is what it means for a female to drive a BMW sports car.

Instagram: @ladydrivenamerica

Aimee Shackelford: M4 – Alpine White

Ashley Andreoli: E90 M3

Renee Lee: Phoenix Yellow E46 M3

Rachel Mills: 135i and various shots of Silverstone M4 on the track at Buttonwillow Raceway including the interior shots